With a name like ‘widowbird,’ you’d expect this dusky male to have a low-key love life. But those 20-inch-long tail feathers are highly favored by females, even though they can make it difficult for the males to fly on windy days. The display has been the subject of much study regarding sexually selected traits and the tradeoffs between physical constraint and attracting a mate, since the tail feathers don’t seem to aid in flight and may even cause a hinderance. Ah, the things we do for love.
Longtailed widowbird at Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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‘Think equal, build smart, innovate for change’
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For Hispanic Heritage Month: Out of Many, One
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Zion National Park Turns 100
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Taiwan yuhinas in Alishan National Scenic Area
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What s cuter than nuzzling rhinos?
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Cheetah mother and cub
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Legacy mural in Philadelphia
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Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
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The monsoon arrives in the desert
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Digging the birds
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With leaves this tasty, who cares about a view?
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The last thing seen by Wile E. Coyote
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Ludwig’s palace
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World Lizard Day
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Male kori bustard, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
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Celebrating Minnesota’s statehood
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Happy Mothers Day!
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World Lion Day
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An emerald isle of the Emerald Isle
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Uredd Rest Area, Norway
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Lakeside serenity in Finland
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Oymyakon, Russia
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A bridge of Madison County
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Super sandy Sweet 16
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Jaguar in the Pantanal wetlands
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Marshland, Gloucester, MA
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Horsetail Fall, Yosemite National Park, California
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Venice Skatepark, Los Angeles, California
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We have liftoff!
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The ruins of a Maya superpower